Academic and professional qualifications

I graduated with BA (Hons) Fashion Studies from the University of Derby in 2006 and completed the Post Graduate Certification in Learning & Teaching in Higher Education (PGCLTHE)  with Distinction in 2019.

Previous Employment

I joined Manchester Fashion Institute in 2016 as an Associate Lecturer before becoming a Lecturer in Fashion Business in 2017. In 2022, I was appointed Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Fashion Communication. Prior to this, Laura worked in industry for various global fashion businesses in Marketing, Social Media and PR and has over 10 years of industry expertise.

Academic service (administration and management)

I have held a number of appointments within Higher Education at Manchester Fashion Institute including currently holding the position of Open and Visit Day Co-Ordinator for the department working with the Marketing Team to deliver interactive and engaging recruitment activity for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. I have previously held the position of Marketing Chair for the schools Marketing Working Group; a collective of academic staff and marketing experts developing profile raising and reputation projects to showcase the work created by our talented students and staff. 

From 2017-2021, I held the position of Level 5 Year Manager on the BA (Hons) Fashion Business & Management programme which involved transitioning L4 students seamlessly into Level 5, development of the personal tutorial programme and management of a team of Personal Tutors. During this time, I also worked in the role of Placements Co-Ordinator which involved, preparing students for placement, support and guidance through the application process, seeking out new placement opportunities and networking with industry.

Prizes and awards

‘Manchester Met Staff Awards 2022’ Nominee, Leadership Award, Manchester Fashion Institute 2022

Membership of professional associations

Chartered Management Institute (CMI) – Fellow
Higher Education Academy (HEA) – Fellow

Undergraduate teaching

As Senior Lecturer in Fashion Communication, I teach across several undergraduate programmes including Fashion Communication and Fashion Business & Management. Through extensive industry experience in Fashion Marketing, my expertise includes, Brand Communications, Omni-Channel Marketing, Marketing Strategy and Promotional Planning, Social Media and Content Marketing, Sustainable Marketing, ESG Business Strategy, E-Commerce and User Experience. I have experience of leading & teaching across a number of units including:

L4 Introduction to Fashion Communication

L4 Consumer Journey

L5 Customer Experience Project

L6 Innovation & Entrepreneurship

L6 Fashion Enterprise Project

External examiner roles

I currently hold an external examiner position which is a partner collaboration with Universtiy Creative Arts (UCA) and London College of Creative Arts (LCCA) for the BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing and Management programme.

Press and media appearances or contributions

I have contributed to a number of Radio 5 Live debates including a news piece in response to the rising number of fashion retail store closures in the UK.

Research

Mangas, A and Costin, L. (2024) ‘Glossier: Instigating Phygital Customer Experience in the Beauty and Skincare Market’, in B. Alexander (ed) Customer Experience in Fashion Retail: Merging Theory and Practice. Routledge Publishing (in progress, publication ETA Jan 2024)

Previous research focusses on the evolution of influencer marketing with my work being showcased at the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institute (IFFTI) Conference in 2019. The research was presented as a series of video interviews. Fashion business leaders, media, consumers, and influencers explored and discussed the multi-faceted identity and changing function of the fashion influencer.